An evacuation order and alert have been issued on Monday in the Baynes Lake area due to the Kikomun Wildfire.
In a post to social media, the Regional District of East Kootenay says the evacuation order includes 10 properties that are located along Palmer Road, Saunders Road, Sharpe Road and Springer Road.
It says the evacuation alert has been issued for 42 properties. These are all the properties west of Baynes Lake on Currie Road and Baynes Lake Road, southwest of Baynes Lake on Springhill Road, and south of Baynes Lake on the west side of Baynes Lake Loop Road. It also includes properties southwest of Baynes Lake on Sundown Lake, MacMillan Road, and Palmer Road.
The district says a tactical evacuation was also conducted for the homes within the Evacuation Order area Monday afternoon and everyone was able to get out safely.
It says a reception centre has also been put in place at the Prestige Inn in Cranbrook at 209 Van Horne Street South.
“Evacuees are asked to check in and register at the Reception Centre or online at ess.gov.bc.ca,” the district said.
The reception centre will be open from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, the fire first discovered Monday at Kikomun Creek is 4.1 hectares as of 6 p.m. Monday. It is believed to be human caused and is receiving a “full response” which is reserved for fires that pose a threat to safety, property or infrastructure.
“The fire is displaying rank 2 behaviour with pockets of rank 3. This means the fire is a low vigour surface fire with areas of moderately vigorous surface fire. Smoke is highly visible from Baynes Lake and Kikomun Creek Provincial Park,” the service said on its website.
The district says eight apparatus and 15 firefighters from the Jaffray, Baynes Lake and Elko Fire Departments are responding to the wildfire, along with BC Wildfire Service, which has a Resource Officer, Unit Crew and air support on scene.
The fire is among about 220 active blazes burning in the province, and the service says more than 90 per cent of them were caused by lightning.